Elmer Ellsworth Foster played 39 games for the New York Giants between 1888 and 1889. In those 39 games, he collected only 20 hits in 140 at bats, but he stole 15 bases and scored 17 runs, making every opportunity count. Though his career was short and unremarkable (a total of 105 games played over 5 seasons), Foster has seven poses in the N172 set. This issue - which depicts the speedy centerfielder leaning on a bat with his right hand as his left hand rests on his hip - is the least frequently seen of all in terms of graded population.

Centering is ever so slightly west on the canvas, with a hint of diamond cutting. Corners are nice for the grade, with only some minor edge chipping. Foxing appears on the card's front, but not enough to obscure the image or text, which are both still visible, albeit light. Some faint creasing is more easily visible when viewing the card's back, but this is a beauty that truly captures the essence of what baseball was during this time.